Location

Description

In partnership with Resilient DC and the DC Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)

On December 8, Climathon semi-finalists will pitch their final proposals to a panel of expert judges who will announce the winning idea of 2017 DC Climathon at GW.

What is GW Climathon?Climathon is a 24-hour hackathon that engages young innovators to develop creative local and regional solutions on climate change and sustainable development. The George Washington University (GW) and the District of Columbia partner with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors for the DC Climathon at GW, hosted at the GW School of Business. DC Climathon augments traditional educational offerings to develop leaders and create positive change within the local community, start-ups, and the public and the private sector.

MEET THE TEAMS

Team Power to the People

The problem: Traditional energy sources pose both environmental and financial problems for many communties. Underserved communities also have high unemployment rates and are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as heat waves and floods.

Their solution: A community program that works closely with nonprofits to provide skills training to underserved communities and provide a capable workforce for the ESCOs, while also increasing the market share of the Innovating companies. This will in turn significantly reduce energy demand and increases climate resiliency

Team Mesh

The problem: During climate-related disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and fires, community members often lose contact with each other when power lines are down. Not being able to communiate can be dangerous and even fatal when disaster strikes, especially for vulnerable populations, like people with disabilities, that may need medical attention.

Their solution: Create a mesh network or small FM enabled devices for decentralized communication in the event of a natural disaster.

MEET THE JUDGES

Dwane Jones, Director of the University of the District of Columbia’s Center for Sustainable Development & Resilience.

Jordan Lloyd Bookey, Co-Founder, Beanstack

CHALLENGE

The Washington D.C. Department of Energy & Environment and the George Washington University (GW) Office of Sustainability are calling for innovative ideas and solutions to our pressing climate change challenge:

Hack Resilience

By 2100, the average U.S. temperature is projected to increase between 3°–12°F. Local institutions face intense changes that impact the spread of disease, freshwater supply, ability to grow crops, species extinction, and damage to infrastructure. Communities need to mitigate the warming and prepare for the pending changes.